Donut Ride.

Its for roadies though, not sure how receptive they are to tri bikes

Dougnut Ride aren't receptive to TT bikes mainly because it's a intense ride and a huge pack (80+ often) so handling is essential. I live at Front and Spadina (not far from your destination) so if you want some help finding places to ride get in touch via PM and I'll be happy to help you find some good rides within reasonable distance. I've got a small group as well if you want to ensure safety in numbers you're welcome to join in. 3 of them are training for the HIM in Muskoka this July.

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"Train so you have no regrets @ the finish line"

Thanks that's awesome! Def keen to meet some local athletes. I have a good road bike as well so I could try the donut ride, but usually on the weekend for my long rides I like to do my own things with intervals anyways.... but would be good to learn that route and have other people to ride with during the week!

Do NOT do the Donut Ride, unless you have a death wish.
I would suggest Morning Glory Cycling Club, if you value your life.

1-2 hr evening rides are not really possible, too much traffic. MGCC does 1.5-2hr morning rides during the week, starting at 5:40. These are great and can be high intensity if you like. There's room for everyone. It's an early start, but it's nice to be home by 7:30, which is early enough for a nap and breakfast before work.

If you don't have a car, Toronto isn't the best for cycling. It's good for running and decent for swimming. Lots of pools, but availability is sometimes limited. Definitely join a club or team so you can get regular uninterrupted swims.

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Group Eleven – Websites for Athletes / mikael.racing / @mstaer

Thanks for the advice, I don't mind early riding so that's fine if that's better. I do have a car, just would rather not have to use it for biking, cest la vie!

Have you check out toronto triathlon club?
They have different kinds of activities from Masters swim both early morning and evening, track work outs, training camps etc
They have athletes all over the city. They train an hour away from Toronto to do their long rides.
Feel free to email them.

I know there is a bunch of people from the TTC doing the muskoka full ironman this year. I think they have a training camp set up as well.
http://www.torontotriathlonclub.org/


if you are looking for workouts at home there is a computrainer rental company in toronto as well. http://www.BikeWatts.com/

Hope this helps.

Right at University there is Queens Park that has soft trail around it about 800M in length. Perfect for mid summer evening intervals. Miss that spot. Directly to lake is Martin Goodman Trail. Perfect for long runs and recovery rides. That also can take you out to Port Credit, head North on Mississauga road and your riding your long rides pretty quickly. Morning Glory club can show you a lot of roads that way.

UofT has pools and right where you will be living is theYMCA. great gym with 25M pool.

From your home base running is amazing. Belt Line trail. Roses dale trails. Etc. great options.

C3online.ca was my tri club when I was living in Toronto. Stationed North of city 45 min drive in Caledon. Cannot beat the riding there. Members include Lionel Sanders, Andrew Yorke etc....and a tonne of hacks like me! Sean Bechtel and Barrie Shepley are lead coaches.

Good luck!

Edit addition: you just moved to the hotbed of racing BTW! Want to race you can every weekend. John Salts team put on great racing. Multisportcanada.com. There is also the Subaru Series owned by WTC. AND of course the Toronto Tri right downtown in June and Pan Am games in July! I'm almost jealous-:)

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@rhyspencer

Some good points there.

LOTS of racing opportunities. I have to do my duty and plug the MultiSport Canada series; I wouldn't be an ambassador if I didn't think their races were top notch. Other series exist too, and plenty of running options from big time ones like Scotiabank to informal 5ks like the MEC race series.

I am not a fan of the Toronto Triathlon Club, it doesn't seem like they offer true group training options. It does work for some people though. I would suggest looking into the UofT Triathlon Club (open to public). I swim in the public hours at the UofT Athletic Centre, which is probably the best facility in downtown Toronto. I also run with the Master's Track Club there. I also swim with a great tri squad at the Douglas Snow Aquatic Centre (north), the coaches are Brent Aquino and Tereza Macel (former top Ironman pro) - look up NYAC tri swim for that.

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Group Eleven – Websites for Athletes / mikael.racing / @mstaer

Thanks for all the advice everyone! I started my triathlon career in Hamilton so have done both subaru and multisport races before heading out west! So I look forward to returning to those. I will check out all the groups. My main concern is learning bike routes that are safe and efficient to get out of the city

"from Vancouver moving to Toronto|"

You will regret it!!!!

Team Atomica is another option. I enjoyed swimming with Ayesha Rollinson who coaches this group. Open water swimming at Musselman Lake near near Stouffville and also good riding in the Stouffville/Uxbridge/Port Perry area.

How did the move go?

For my long weekend rides, I have been riding out to Mississauga-Oakville. I was finding the insane traffic and ugly route that the Bagel Ride takes too much to handle. Riding out to Oakville is great. It's safe, as you follow the recreation path along Lakeshore for much of the way until you get to Mississauga, which still has wide roads and a shoulder. People out there seem to be much more bike friendly too. Once past Port Credit, I turn North for a bit and then West again into Oakville, where it's quiet country roads with tons of cyclists out. You don't have to set out at 5:30am on a Saturday to avoid traffic with this route; a 7:30am start for a 3-4hr ride is still comfortable. I live midtown and on my return, take Parkside up to Dupont, which has bike lanes.

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Group Eleven – Websites for Athletes / mikael.racing / @mstaer

On Saturday / Sunday morning take a 25min drive to Oakville and then ride your bike north. Popular launch point is the intersection of Sixth Line / E. Lower Baseline - there always seem to be a dozen Toronto cars parked there with empty bike rack
If you don't have a car you can take the GO train.

I personally liked going on Sixth Line to Steeles and riding around the area north of Milton.
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/100186787

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Remember - It's important to be comfortable in your own skin... because it turns out society frowns on wearing other people's

Thanks for the continued responses! Move has been great and training has been focused, loving living in TO. I've still been leaving the city every weekend for a long ride, either Hamilton/escarpment area or past Newmarket. It's been working out fine, although I'd still love a safe route out of the city but have yet to find anything. Trainer rides for intervals during the week and recovery days I've just been doing either goodman or lower Don for 50 min of spinning! Interested in some open water, perhaps Cherry Beach.

The male member of the "Trashy Trio" from your second year of uni says hi...
I assume you are doing awesome things

WOOOOOOOOOOW..... small world......... Hi back!!!!! you "triathlon" now?

I second Atomica as an alternative/complement to the others. I'm a bit biased though—link in my sig.

I just started with Morning Glory this year—definitely the best way to get in your rides in if you don't want to drive.

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George Dedopoulos | @geodee | geodee.com | Team Atomica | Toronto Triathlon Club

Also look towards The Durham Region. Tons of quiet safe roads out here.

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NCCP certified Comp coach

Cherry Beach is a good place to swim. Most days after work there are at least a few people swimming there. There isn't any good weekday route out of Toronto, you'll have lights/congestion any route you take.

I'll second the Durham option. There's a really good 40k/60k loop I do in the Goodwood - Zephyr area that is hilly, and doesn't have many cars or stop signs. You see loads of cyclists out in that area.

but you have to drive to get there? I'd love a route I can cycle to

I hear you, I'd love one too. Toronto is just too congested for any quality riding in the city, especially this summer with the PanAm lane restriction.